Inclusion efforts help Delco church stand out

The moment that St. John Chrysostom Church in Wallingford was accepting a national award for its efforts to welcome people with disabilities was the moment that Helen Howlett was coping with a familiar struggle.

The paralegal was in the church lobby, tending to her nephew E.J., who has autism. The 6-year-old scooted from door to door, yelled out his name, and tried to escape the grasp of his harried aunt.

"Even in an accessible church, it's not easy," said Howlett, of South Philadelphia, E.J.'s guardian. "But I want my children to have faith, and parents need a source of strength, too."

So Howlett travels from the city with her nephew and niece Raina to the Delaware County congregation that on Sunday received national recognition for an initiative it began only two years ago.

St. John Chrysostom was named the winner of the 2015 Loyola Press Opening Doors Award, presented by the publishing company in collaboration with the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD).

The award recognizes congregations that are leaders in involving people with disabilities in the parish community.

Janice L. Benton, NCPD's executive director, presented the award Sunday to the Rev. Edward J. Hallinan, the church pastor, at the congregation's monthly "Mass of Welcoming and Inclusion."

"How perceptive to take steps without having to be asked, and recognizing that all have gifts to share," Benton said.

The church received $1,000 and a plaque honoring its Ministry With Persons With Disabilities.

The ministry helps prepare people with disabilities to receive the sacraments, offers support to their families, and integrates people with special needs into archdiocesan events and programs that help others.

On the first Sunday of every month, the parish offers a special Mass that aims to provide a more welcoming atmosphere for parishioners with special needs and their families.

Liturgies and hymns are shorter, music is softer, and the service is interpreted into sign language. People with disabilities and their families also frequently participate in the service, but they also take part in all church services and programs.

There's no segregation, said Kristina Vacha, the ministry's coordinator.

Ryan Leahy, 31, who has autism, serves as cantor for the monthly service. On Sunday, Brandon Much, who has cerebral palsy, and his family brought gifts (the Eucharist, wine, and parish donations) to the altar. Much, 21, who uses a wheelchair, carried the donation basket on his lap as his family walked down the aisle.

Much recently made his first Communion after he was tutored by Deacon Walter Lance. The parish has adapted its religious education program to include curriculum aimed at people with special needs.

St. John's efforts to be more inclusive began shortly after Hallinan was appointed pastor in 2011. The priest noticed that people with disabilities and their families were infrequent attendees at Mass and that when they did come, they rarely returned.

He asked why.

"They would say, 'It's hard to have a child in church. Sometimes we feel uncomfortable,' " Hallinan said. The parents also felt isolated, he said.

So the minister organized a meeting with a group of people with disabilities and their families and asked them how the church could make them feel more welcome. He also apologized. That meeting was the start of the church's initiative.

"It's a mind-set," said Mary Chollet, the church's director of parish ministry and communications. "How do we make sure everybody is at the table?"

St. John Chrysostom is one of 219 parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and many are working toward being fully accessible, said Sister Kathleen Schipani, director of the Archdiocese's Office for Persons With Disabilities.

Almost nine of 10 have accessible facilities, and 100 percent are accessible when inclusive programming and religious formation are considered, but challenges remain, Schipani said.

St. John Chrysostom stands out because it developed a strategic plan that was quickly implemented with the help of parishioners, staff, and clergy, Schipani said.

Parents Colleen Deskis and Beth Brady are grateful.

The church's religious education program helped Deskis' 12-year-old daughter Nora, who has cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability, receive the sacrament of confirmation alongside her twin sister, Lily.

Brady's son Michael, 7, who has autism, received the sacrament of reconciliation. When Michael talked with Hallinan while sitting on a pew, just outside the confessional, his mother listened in. Brady heard her son use his communication device to talk about when to say "I'm sorry."

"I was crying my eyes out," Brady said, "It was probably one of the most beautiful moments we've had on this autism journey."

kholmes@phillynews.com610-313-8211